Texas Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz speaks to the media Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston a day after trouncing Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Texas Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz speaks to the media Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston a day after trouncing Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Photo: Pat Sullivan / Associated Press

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Making history, Ted Cruz sworn in as senator

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At 11 minutes after noon, Ted Cruz made history.

The Houston lawyer and former Texas solicitor general was sworn in as the state’s newest U.S. senator by Vice President Joe Biden, becoming the first Texas senator of Latino descent in the state’s history.

Cruz, accompanied by Texas’ new senior senator, John Cornyn, walked to the front of the Senate chamber and joined Indiana’s Joe Donnelly, California’s Dianne Feinstein and Nebraska’s Deb Fischer among the third group of senators to take the oath of office.

Cruz, a conservative Republican, replaces fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison of Dallas. He becomes the first U.S. senator from Houston since then-Sen. Lloyd Bentsen became President Bill Clinton’s Treasury Secretary in 1993.

Across the Capitol, eight freshman lawmakers from the Lone Star State were sworn into office at 2:10 p.m. EST. Among them were five Democrats and three Republicans: Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, Pete Gallego of Alpine, Steve Stockman of Friendswood, Randy Weber of Pearland, Roger Williams of Weatherford, Filemon Vela of Brownsville, Beto O’Rourke of El Paso and Marc Veasey of Fort Worth.

“You are likely feeling awestruck right about now,” House Speaker John Boehner told the new members. “History runs through here. And now you are among a select few to share in this privilege.

Texas gained four new House seats as a result of population gains in the 2010 census. Two of the freshman House members ousted incumbents and two filled open seats.

The Class of 2013 marks a generational shift for Texas. Cruz, Castro, O’Rourke and Veasey all are 42 years old or younger.

The congressional delegation also is the most ethnically diverse in Texas history. Five of the nine new Texas lawmakers are minorities: four Latinos and one African American.